Adopted Sons and Daughters

(The following blog is a modified version of an original post on March 26. Because of the uncertain legal nature of our case, our adoption agency recommended that we remove our post and close out our blog until things were settled. We are happy to announce that the adoption is now complete and we can post pictures of our beautiful children!)

Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. Romans 8.23

As a parent of three adopted children (Desiree, age 9; Destiny, age 8; and Dylan, age 6), adoption is never far from my thoughts. Alden and I began the process to become licensed foster-adoptive parents in July 2010. We met our children in March and fell in love, they moved in with us in May, they became legally free for adoption in September, and the court declared us a legal family on December 7 . Adopting from the foster system has been a long and frustrating process that has been filled with risk and uncertainty. However, God brought the five of us together at the right time.

Adoption was our first choice for growing our family. Many times we have been asked by well-meaning loved ones (and even strangers!), “but don’t you want your OWN children?” This is a terribly frustrating question for me. First, it seems to assume some sort of potential superiority of any children naturally born to me. But more than that, it assumes that these children are not my OWN. Now, if you are a stranger reading this, you will not be able to grasp the irony of either of these assumptions since you don’t know my family. Obviously, I think my children are quite wonderful (challenging at times, of course), and that God prepared us to be their parents, and for them to be our children. We knew from the first night we met them that they were our OWN. Our family has meshed and adjusted remarkably well, and I believe that it is a testament to God’s grace and goodness.

Ok, so maybe you are still wondering, Why adoption? Besides our personal experience of working with orphans and underprivileged children and having 7 adopted members of our family, here’s one of our theological reasons. I am reminded of my own personal adoption- not by earthly adoptive parents, but by my Heavenly Father. It is difficult to comprehend that the Creator of the Universe also wants me as His child. He has a Son, but He adopted us and made us joint-heirs with His Son. Then I think of our brother Jesus, who was also adopted- by an earthly father. It’s easy to forget that Joseph wasn’t related to Jesus, but he adopted Him and raised Him as his own. So, it’s kind of like adoption is in our own grafted family tree genes.

I am encouraged by the verses which come immediately after the one above from Romans 8 — the Spirit helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us in prayer. And most of all, that God works all things together for good.